1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to locks and more particularly, to a magnetic lock that can be conveniently and selectively adjusted between two reversed modes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commercial magnetic locks are made in two different types for use in different conditions, i.e., the type that is unlocked when electrically connected and the type that is locked when electrically connected. Because a magnetic lock manufacturer has to make two different types of magnetic locks to satisfy market demand, the inventory control is complicated and, the manufacturing cost is relatively increased.
In order to eliminate the aforesaid drawback, the inventor invented a magnetic lock that is adjustable between two positions to have the lock be unlocked or locked when electrically connected. This invention was filed on Apr. 14, 1998 in Taiwan and allowed for patent under patent publication no. 384904.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,225, issued on Oct. 9, 2001, discloses a lock entitled “ELECTRICAL LOCK DEVICE”. This structure of lock, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, comprises a housing 60, a lever 61, a solenoid device 62, a cover 63, and a casing 64. The solenoid device 62 is installed in a bracket 621, having a plunger 622, which has a front end connected to a block 623. The bracket 621 has a plurality of screw holes 624 at the bottom side. The housing 60 has an elongated slot 65 and two screw holes 66 corresponding to the screw holes 624 of the bracket 621. A knob 67 and a fastener 68 are respectively mounted in the elongated slot 65 and one of the screw holes 66 and fastened to the respective screw holes 624 at the bracket 621 to selectively secure the solenoid device 62 to the chamber 601. By means of changing the position of the block 623 to further control on/off of the lever 61, the lock is selectively set between the position of “Locking when electrically connected” and the position of “Unlocking when electrically connected”.
This design of electrical lock device is functional. However, before moving the solenoid device 62, the user must detach the cover 63 and unfasten the fastener 68. Therefore, it is inconvenient to adjust this design of electrical lock device.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,830 discloses another design of lock device entitled “ELECTRIC STRIKE ASSEMBLY”. This design of electric strike assembly, as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, comprises a housing 70, a rear plate 77 covering the housing 70, a keeper 71 pivotally arranged in the housing 70, a holder 73 slidably arranged in the housing 70, a blocking element 74 configured to selectively prevent a rotation of the keeper 71 and allow the rotation of the keeper 71, a two-position mode selector 76 operable from outside the housing 70 and configured to selectively move the holder 73 from a first position to a second position and vice versa, and an actuator (solenoid device) 72 configured to selectively move the blocking element 74. When the holder 73 is in the first position, the blocking element 74 allows the rotation of the keeper 71 when the actuator 72 is energized and prevents the rotation of the keeper 71 when the actuator 72 is not energized, and when the holder 73 is in the second position, the blocking element 74 presents the rotation of the keeper 71 when the actuator 72 is energized and allows the rotation of the keeper 71 when the actuator 72 is not energized. This design of electric strike assembly is substantially similar to the aforesaid electrical lock device with the exception that the two-position mode selector 76 which is comprised of a slotted head 761, a pin 762 and a disk portion 763 is inserted into the slot 75 to control the movement of the holder 73 and to further control the position of the actuator 72 and the blocking element 74, achieving position control of the keeper 71. This design does not eliminate the drawback of the aforesaid electrical lock device. Further, because the mode selector 76 is installed in the bottom side of the housing 70, it is inconvenient to operate the mode selector 76.